Skein-lacing machine.



C. PERENBACH.

SKEIN LACING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED 001229, 190s.

Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

HEBTS-SHEBT 2.

TII Uu u lofz wiki-wanen C. PERENBACH.

SKEIN LAGING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED ocT.29. 190s.

Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Y o. FBRENBAGH.

SKEIN LACING MACHINE. APPLIGATION FILED 001:29, 1908.

i 916,690. Patented Mar. 3o, 1909.

'I SHEETS-SHEET 4.

91 I 05 121 14 100 53 56 a5 49 (C i 17/ 522 8/8 1, 104 o ma o o o Y J3-'1.33- 103 um* um .5 fr

. 45 7 J0 s 4 o o o o .61, 60 'Il 0 c l 5p 62 i 150 21' 3] l.' El s 0 fr LL V32 *0% 73 7 o l 'i f Of 8 X I; i 6 l B C. FERENBACH.

SKBIN LAGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00129. 190e.

'I SHEETS-SHEET Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

y S14/uc u F61: M MM^ C. -IERENBAGH- SKEIN LAGING MACHINE. APPLIOATIOH FILED 00T.29. 1908.

Patented Mar. 3o, 1909.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

Og o@ G. FERENBACH.

SKEIN LAGING MAGHINE.

APPLIoATIoN FILED ooT.29. 190s.

Patented Manso, 1909.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

CARL FERENBAGH, Aor WamS-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA'.

SKEIN-L'ACING MACHINE. y

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 80, 1909.

Application ledfOctober 29, 1908. Serial No. A16t),136.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it .known that I, CARL FERENBACH, a citizen lof the United States, and resident of Hikes-Barre, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Skein-Lacing Machines, of which' thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to the lacing of skeins or hanks of threads or yarns of various kinds, and consists in certain apparatus whereby a lacing thread is carried across a distended skein above some portions and below the others, and back in a reverse direction, as fully set forth hereinafter and as illustrated` in the accompanying drawings, in which:` l

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating the apparatus as constructed to simultaneously lay a dozen skeins; Fig. 2 is a plan view at one end of the apparatus, enlarged and in partsection; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation ofthe main part of the apparatus; Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan View of part yof the thread detaching appliances;

'Fig 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation mainly of the parts' shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 5

is an enlarged side elevation showing the.4

the line 11 Fig.'2'; Fig. l2 is a plan of part of the devices at the entrance end of the apparatus; Fig. 13 a detached plan'showing one .end of the thread carrier frame; Fig.

'14 'a view of the parts shown in Fig. 13;

Figs. 15, 16 and 17` diagrammatic views illustratin the .operations in lacin a distended skein atone side thereof; Fig. 18 a view showing a modified form of thread carrier; Fig. 19 a diagrammatic view illustratin a dl'erentmeans of distending the yarn or the passage of the carrier.

*Before specifying the details of the particular apparatus .illustrated for carrying out my invention I refer to the diagrams Figs. 15 to17. Fig. 15 represents in perspective a hank Y or skein of yarn, .silk

or-other material to be dyed, as mounted ona rotatable reel X and thus occupying a quadrangular position. The threads or fibers at the upper side of the quadrangle are now Apenetrated by -a suitable number of distend- `by the horn next the edge of the material.

The carrier then rises through said opening, after which 1t moves another step 1n the d1- rection of the arrow 3 and until above the next opening, when the carrier descends, and

so -on, the carrier rising, descendin and shifting alternately until the thread 1s carried by the ascent of the carrier past the opposite edge of the material, to a position above the same. one step Ainthe direction of the arrow 4 until above the opening next the edge of the material, when the carrier drops and moves another step laterally, and so on .until the thread has completed the series of movements indicated by the dotted4 lines and arrows Fig. 17. After the thread has been carried-to the edge of the material where the operations began it occupies the laced position shown in Fig. 16, andl is cut and the two lower ends are -tled together. 'The reel is then turned quarter around and .the like operations may be performed atone or more of the other sides of the quadrangle. The reel may of course be constructed to resent the skein with any desired number o sides, and many different constructions may be l: employed to separate the yarns ,or fibers of the mass, to guide andmove the carrier, and to shift the carriers oriskeins laterally, but the constructions shown in the drawings and which I will'now describe have proved very effective.

The frame A of the apparatus is suitably constructed to support ra1ls5 Fig.' 3, on which rest the wheels G of a reel carriage B, ,the

reel being of a lengt-h tov support any desired number of skeins. The shaft of the reel restsat one end Vin a notch in a standard 8 of the carriage, and at the other end, Fig. 1, the shaft carries a .pulley 10 which has its bearing on separated antifriction rolls 11.0n the carriage. construction and consists of cross-arms sup- The carrier is then moved A shuttle or carrier The reelas shown is ofthe -usual 'movements of the thread carrier porting four equidistant parallel bars or rods 12, 12. The hanks or skeins are placed on the-reel in a separated position and the reel is then placed on its bearings on the car,- riage and the latter is moved into the frame to its proper position. Q

To properly support the material under the operations of the distenders and their carriers two parallel horizontal guard plates 13,'14 Figs. 3, 11 and 13, areso supported on a frame C on the main frame that as the carriage with the charged reel is moved 1nward on the main frame in the direction of the arrow a, Fig. 1, the upper side-of the mass on the reel will pass between the plates 13, 14 to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 11. While the carriers may be in the form of shuttles, each carrying its own bobbin, I have shown the thread as carried by bobbins 16 supported by pins on the main frame and the threads attached at their ends to the carriers as by clips 17, Fig. 11. Each thread carrier has a rack 18 for engaging pinions 19, 22, on shafts 20, 21, above and below the guard blades 13, 14, and -so arranged that the upper pinion will move its thread carrier downward through the material which is `between said plates until the lower pinion also engages it, and the latter pinion then moves the carrier farther down and entirely below the material and after .the longitudinal movement of the carrier, then carries the carrier up until it is engaged by the'upper pinion which llifts it to its upper position wholly above Y the material. There is a thread carrierto each mass or skein on the reel, and the guard plates and vertical guides in which the thread carriers move and bearings for the shafts 13, 20, 21, constitute parts of or are on the sliding or shifting frame C, movable on the main frame step by step in one direction until each thread carrier has traversed the material in one direction, and then ste bv stepback to its first position. The sha tof the distcnders is rocked to withdraw the distenders after the thread carriers have completed their series of operations and the rocking is effected by hand from a shaft 113 as described hereinafter. The step-by step movements of the thread carriers carrying each from a position opposite one opening in the material to a position opposite the next opening-results from the lon itudinal rame C. This frame is provided with an extension D Fig. 5, consisting of two connected parallel bars 41, 42, carrying racks 43, 44, between which is a. pinion 45 supported on a short shaft 46 which turns in bearings on a tongue 47 pivoted at 48 to the frame C, and by swingingbthe tongue up or down the pinion 45 may a toothed gear 49 adapted to a mutilated e brought to engage one or other of the racks 43, 44. The shaft 46 also carries eiaeeo structed as shown to correspond tol a' frame will be fed intermittently in the opposite direction. l v

The shifting of the gear 45 results when the thread carriers have fullytraveled the width of the skeins, and to this -end the tongue 47 is providedwith a pin 52 to reccive the hub of`a swinging bracket 53 Figs. 5 and 8, which extends over the driving -shaft 51. Un said shaft is a lifting cam 54 which when brought beneath the bracket 53 lifts the latter' and the tongue 47 and carries the pinion from mesh with the rack 44 into mesh with the rack 43, and' a spring 55 connected with the tongue .and with thc bracket tends to .swing the latter away from the cam 54 in 'the direction of the arrow Fig. 8, but so long as the bracket is elevated it cannot be so swung, because of its lateral contact with an arm 56 extending from the main frame. When, however, the bracket is lowered it is below said arm, `and may then swing to the position indicated by theA dotted line J, Fig. 8. As the lifting cam 54 is carried below the bracket at each rotation of the driving shaft, it is necessary to prevent the lowering of the bracket until the thread carriers have fully traversed the width of the skeins. and I therefore provide a movable detent F to holdthe bracket in its upper position until the frame C has completed its movement in one direction, andto restore the bracket to position after the frame C has completed its movement in the other direction. This dctent F is shownv as' a sleeve provided with an annular flange 58 and groove 59, the latter receiving the ends of the forked arm of a shipper E vertically pivoted in the main frame and having a lateral arm60.l On the extension frame D are two Contact pins 61, 62 5, (preferably having spring bearings to prevent shocks) and so arranged that as the frame C completes its inward movement. the contact 61 will strike the arm 60 and swing the shipper E to carry the detent F to the right, Fig. 8, and permit the bracket to descend when the cam 54 is next removed therefrom.

lower rack and reverses the movement of the frame C, and the latter moves outward untll lll-5 This brings the pinion 45 into mesh with the the contact 62 reverses the position of the.

shipper which carries the bracket to its vertical position. and when the bracket 53 is again lifted lthe shipper passes under the same and supports it in its elevated position.

ist

The bracket is provided Wit-ha lateral arm 64, 'a lip on which engages the fiange 58 and prevents the shipper from getting prematurely out of position.

The rotation or rocking of the shafts 20, 21 to carry the thread carriers up and down is eie'ct'ed by 'the vertical reciprocation of a rack 34 Figs. G and 9, which meshes with pinions 35, 35, on two hollow shafts or sleeves 71, 72 turning in fixed bearings of the main frame and into which hollow shafts the shafts 20, 21 extend and sli-de, the shafts being feathered so that each sleeve and shaft turn together, but the shat'ts 20,.21, can

. tion to which they are thus moved until they have been carried laterally one. step by th e frame C, the rack rod 33 is shifted upward on one rotation of the driving shatt a ud then remains at. rest until .the next rotation. when it is shifted in the opposite direction. This is eii'ected by thealternate leiigageuicut and disengagement of a sliding pin 75 Figs. 7

. and 8, carried with the driving shaft and the disk 74. The pin 75 slides in an arni 30 on the shaft 51 and when in its inner position will engage one of two diagonally arranged shoulders or bearings .-r, y, of the disk 74, and in its `outer position will escape said disk. Thus it the pin is' pushed in as the arm 30 approaches theshoulder n1. said pin will engage said shoulder and turn the disk until the'pin is pushed out, which is at the end of a half lrotation of the disk. This vbrings the shoulder j/ to the position previously occupied by the shoulder fr, and the 'l pin is then again pushed in to engage the shoulder y and agam turn the disk a halt`- sov rotation. Thus the disk, with its connected parts, are alternately moved and come to a rest. The shifting of the'pin is effected hy a spring 78 (Fig. 8) moving the pin in one direction. and a cam G with which its spring keeps the inner end of the pin iu contact, the cam having inclined faces lw which push outthel pin and permit it to move hack lat the proper periods of the rotation. .At. the completion of each semi-rotation of the disk a notch a in the same is brought opposite a pin of` a spring dog 79 which holds the disk` fric-tionally from rotation.

When the thread carriers are broughtback to normal position, after the completion of the lacing operation, it is necessary to sever the thread between the bobbins and the reels (which isdcne by hand) and to release the ends clamped to the thread carriers (which is done automatically) and the two ends are then tied ltogether.` To provide for the release ofthe ends clamped vto the thread carriers each thread carrier has a sliding pin 88, Figs. 10, 11, which extends through the carrier and bears at one end against the inside of the blade'of the clamp 17, and to the frame C are pivoted bell crank'levers 89, set Iscrews of which are in position to strike the outer ends of the pins 88. An operating bar 90 has recesses to receive the outer ends of the hell cranks,`and when this bar is moved in the direction of its arrow Fig. 10,' all the pins 88 are pushed against the clamps and openthe latter and release the threads. This action of the bar is coincident with the turning of the shaft 113, Fig. 3, to lift the distenders 1. As shown (see Fig. l) a spring 91 is connected to one end of the bar 90 to move it in one direction, andthe other end of the bar is connected by a link 92 (Figs. 2 .and 3a) with a catch lever 93, one arm of which extends through a slot 7 (Fig. 3u) in a plate 121 of' the frame C, and `into a slot in a blade 85 'connected at its outer end With a bell crank 100, pivoted at 101 to the frame l), Figs. 2, 4 and 5, the long arm of the bell crank extending inward in position to be struck and lifted by the cani arm 30 on the shaft 51. The catch lever 93 has a shoulder for engaging the edge of the slot in the plate 121.` (Fig. 3a) when the said lever 93 is pushed inward, and this is eii'ected by the inward swing ot' a pendent arm 86, suspended from the main frame (Fig. 3) and connected by a rod 81 to an arm on the shaft 113. It' now the shaft 113 is rocked'in the direction of its arrow Fig. fl-to retract the distenders, the arm 86 will swing in; its lower end by contact with the catch lever 93, Fig. 2, will carry the latterinward until its shoulder engages the slotted plate 121, thereby also drawing the bar 90 longitudinally in the direction of its arrow Fig. 2, and rocking the levers 89 to push in the pins 88 and open the clamps, releasing the ends of the threads. As the shaft 51 thereafter rotates, its cam 30 lifts the arm of the bell crank 100 and carries the connecting rod 85 to the lett. Figs. 2. -i and 5, and rocks the catch lever 93 until4 its shoulder escapes its engagement Fig. 3, when the lever will be carried outward by the pull of the spring 91 of the vbar 90.

I have shown the distenders as consisting each of wire bent on Aitself and curved, the ends connected to a rock shaft 122 Fi 3, carried by a swinging frame 106 pen ent from a pivot 107 on the .main frame. The shaft 122 carries a pinion 103 which gears with a pinion 104 carried by the frame' 10G and gearing with a stationary carrier rack 105 connected with the main frame, and the lframe 106 sconnected by a link 108 with an -arm'lOQ on the shaft 113 so that on rockingthe latter in the direction of its arrow the'frame 106 wlll swmg'out and the pinion 104 will turn as it travels on the rack, and will turn the pinion 103 so as not only to lift the ldistenders, but also carry them away from the thread carriers. After the skeins have been laced on the desired -number of sides the carriage is withdrawn and the laced skeins removed and replaced by others to be operated on. As in practice the carriage is of considerable length'and the sliding frame C correspondingly long, the upper and lower sections ofsaid` frame C must be supported or braced to prevent sagging, and

I therefore pivot to one section (Figs. 13

and 14) ann-arm 130 with jaws .to-engage a vpin 132 on the other section, vthus maintaining them in relative position, and the arm has a handle 131 for swinging the arm out ofthe way when the carriage and its reel are being inserted and withdrawn.`

As shown the frame C is supported on the main frame at one end, the bars of the extension D of the frame C having their bearings on the frame Ayas shown in Fig. 84 lAt the other end the frame C has a connected rod 135 whichy slides in the hub of an arm 131 pendent from a bar 137 of the main frame. lt will be evident that the .particular mechanisms shown may be greatly modified without departing Vfrom the main features of my invention. Among other modifications the thread carriers or shuttles may have pointed ends as shown in Fig. 18, so as to penetrate the layers of yarn without the use of the dist'enders; or parts of the mass, as the parts f f f, Fig. 19, may be raised` and the intervening parts g g remaining stationary or lowered for the passage of the thread carrier in one direction, and then the parts f lowered and the parts g raised for the passage of the carrier in the opposite direction. In both cases however the main result is the same, that is the lacing is passed above some and below other parts of the mass back and forth. It will further be seen that a longitudinal intermittent movement of the reel to cause the carrier to pass through the mass of yarn progressively at dierent points would be the equivalent of the like side movement of the thread carrier. The shaft of the distenders l carries short curved arms 150 which serve to keep separate the masses of the dierent skeins arranged side by side on the reels.

fithout limiting myself to the special ap.

Qiaeeo rying the same thread back in the other direction above the latter parts and below the other parts.

2. ln a skem lacing apparatus the conibination of a rack or frame supporting av distendedskein, a thread carrier, and means for carrying the carrier progressively in one direction downward and upward throu hthe skein until beyond the edge thereo and then A`progressively upward and downward in the opposite direction.

3. ln a skein lacing apparatus the combination of a rack or frame supporting adistended skein, a threadvcarrier, and means for reciprocating the carrier vertically and for moving the carrier-or skein relatively to present the mass of yarn at successively different points for the passage of the carrler first in one direction and then in the other. v

4. In a skein lacing apparatus thel com' bination of a reel for supporting the skein in a distended condition, a thread carrier, means for moving the carrier upward and downward through the yarn at one side of the skein, and means for also shifting the carrier intermittently in one direction to pass through the mass successively at different points and Afor then shifting it intermittently in the opposite direction. f 5. The combination of a rotatable reel adapted to support the yarn of a skein in a distended form, guideways above and below the mass at.- one side., a thread carrier adapted to travel in said guideways across the plane. of the yarn at that side, means for reciprocatingl the thread carrier in said ways, and means for imparting a lateral motion to the thread carrier after each vertical movement.

6. The combination of a rotatable reel vadapted 'to support the yarn of a skein in a distended form, guideways above and below the mass at one side, a thread carrier adapted to travel 'in said guideways across the plane of the yarn at that side, means for reciprocating the thread carrier in said ways, means for imparting a. lateral motion to the thread carrier after each vertical movement, and means for separatingl the yarn lfor the vertical passage of the thread carrier." I

7. The combination of a rotatable reel adapted to support the yarn of a skein in a distended form, guideways above and below the mass at one side, a thread carrier adapted to travel in said guideways 'across the plane of the yarn at that side, means for reciprocating the thread carrier iny said ways, means for imparting alateral motion to the thread carrier after each vertical movement, and afyarn distenderconsisting of a series of horns, and means. for carrying the same into and out of the mass of yarn.

8. The combination in a skein lacm apparatus of a reel for supporting a skein of port ltion and then in the other.

yarn, a thread carrier, means whereby the carrier 1s caused to carry a thread across -the mass. ofy yarn at one side in opposite directions, above and below dierent parts of in said guides. racks connected with the frame, a rotatable pinion, and means for shifting the pinion -into and out of gear with the racks alternately.

11. The combination in a skein lacing apf paratus, of a frame, guides thereon, a thread carrier movable in said guides, racks connected with said frame, la driving pinion, and means for carrying. it into gear with the racks alternately, and means for imparting an lintermittent rotation to said pinion. d 12. The combination in a skein lacing apparatus, of a frame, guides thereon, a thread carrier movable inlsaid, ides, racks connected with said frame, aA riving pinion for engaging said' racks alternately, and means for imparting an intermittent rotation in one direction to said pinion.

13. The combination in a skein lacing aplparatus, ofa frame, guides thereon, a. thread carrier movable in said guides, racks connected with said frame, a driving pinion Afor engaging said racks alternately, a driving shaft, and gears constituting a Geneva stop,

' L tion.

between the driving shaft and the driving pinion.

14. The combination inta skein lacing paratus,.of a frame, guides thereon, a thread carrier movable in said guides, racks .connected with said frame, a driving pinion,

lmeans for imparting an intermittent rotation in one direction to said pinion, a swinging tonguesupporting said pinion, and

means for shifting the tongue as the framereaches the limit of its travel in each direc- 15. The combination-in a skein llacing apparatus, of a frame, guidesthereon, a thread carrier movable in .said guides, racks. cons nected with. said frame, la driving' pinion,

means for imparting an intermittent rotation in one direction to said pinion', a swinging tongue supporting said pinion, a bracket Witnesses:

I pivoted to. said tongue, a shaft and cam thereon for lifting said. bracket, a movable detent for-the bracket, and contacts carried with the frame, and means for shifting said detent by the said contacts.

I16. The combination in a skein lacin apparatus of a reel, a frame sliding paral, el to the axis of the reel, guides on said frame, a

shuttle carried by said guides and provided with a rack, gears for successively engaging said rack, and means for rotating the gears alternately in different directions.

17. The combination of the main frame, reel, reel carriage movable on said frame, a thread carrier frame and means for reciprocating it onthe main frame, a thread caryrier rovided with a rack, shafts and pinions carriedA thereby for engaging said rack,

sleeves in 'which s aid shafts slide toturn therewith, and means for turning said sleeves alternately in diifrent directions.

18. The combination with a reel of a sliding frame, k.guide plates arranged on said frame in position to be one above and one below one side of askcin carried by the reel, and a guide on said frame above and below said plates, and a thread carrier movable in said guides and means for reciprocating the carrier.

19. The combination with a reel of a slldying frame, guide plates arranged on said frame in positions to be one above and one and ay guide on said frame above and below said'plates, and a thread carrier movable in said guides and means for reciprocating the carrier, a rotatable shaft and curved distending horns carried by said shaft.

20. Thecoirbination with a reel of a sliding frame, guide plates arranged on said frame in positions tobe. one above and one 4below one' side of a 'skein carried by the reel, and a -uide on said frame aboveand below said p ates, athread carrier movable in said guides, means for reciprocating the carrier, a rotatable shaft, a swinging support therefor, and curved distending horns carried by said shaft. l

21. The combination rier frame and reel 'of ajrock shaft', a series of curved horns carried thereby, a swinging frame for .said shaft, a pinion on the'shaft,

and a stationary curved vrack engaged by said'pinion. i

In testimon whereof I afliX my signature in presence o two witnesses.`

CARL-,.FERENBACH.

HARRY- V. HAFNER, WILLIAM GARVNER.

lbelow one side of a skein carried by the reel,

with the thread carf 

